Machine for extracting and cleaning the fibers of plants



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets= Sheet L P. COHN. MACHINE FORE XTRAC TING AND CLEANING THE FIBERS 0F PLANTS No.- 293,422.. Patented Feb. 12,1(384.

WiTNBssfis; I I/IINVENTOR:

I ATTORNEYS.

N: PzrzRs Phomliflmghphah Wash ngton. 0.0.

(No Model.) 2- Shefig-Sheet 2.

.N J v MACHINE FOR E XTRAGTING AND CLEANING THE FIBERS'OF PLANTS. N 293,422. 'Patent'edfeb. 12., 18284. a

WITNBSSB INVENTOR:

7 ATTORNEYS.

j Nmn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP oonn, on NEW LAREDO, TAMAULI'PAS, MEXICO.

MACHINE FOR EXTRACTING AND CLEANING THE FIBERS OF PLANTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,422, dated February 12, 1884. Application filed June 6, E883. (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP Conn, of New Laredo, and State of Tamaulipas, Mexico, have'invented a new and Improved Machine for Extracting and Cleaning the Fibers of Plants, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My improved machine is intended for use in extracting thefibers of plants-such as maguey, lechuguillas, ramie, &c.-*and at the same time cleaning the said fibers.

The object of the inventionis to break andscrape off the outside of the plants and the soft parts or meat of the inside, and this I accomplish by means of dull-edged knives arranged spirallyupon a roller, that is fitted to revolve at a high rate of speed, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of.my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 3 is'a side elevation of one of the knife-rollers in larger size.

The mechanism is mounted upon a suitable frame, A, that is fitted at one end with a shaft,

a, for connection of power.

b b are a pair of feed-rollers, and d d a similar pair of rollers, the lower roller of each pair carrying an endless belt or apron, c, for

feeding material to the knives.

Forward of the rollersd d is atable, e, which is preferably covered or surfaced with sole leather, so as to prevent the material from slipping, and above the table is fitted a kniferoller, j, which is supported at its ends in boxes that are fitted to slide vertically; and g are springs above the boxes for pressing the knife-roller into contact with the material on the table.

h is a presser-bar supported in a cross-bar, i, and fitted with a spring, 70. which forces the bar down upon the table 6, for the purpose of holding the plant so it may not run away from the knife-roller, as hereinafter specified.

At the end of the table 6 is an endless traveling apron, 1, carried by suitable rollers, and passing beneath a drum or cylinder, m, around one side of which are arranged a series of knife-roller, f, and also a presser-bar, h.

At the opposite end of the table 0 is a delivery;apron, 19, carried by suitable rollers, for delivery of the clean material. The kniferollers f and f, as shown mostclearly in Fig.

3, are fitted with spiral blades or knives J,

the edges of which are dull or blunt, so that they will act to scrape without cutting the fiber. The rollers carrying the apron c and the knife-roller f are driven by belts from a pulley upon the shaft a, the pulley for the belt of the knife-roller being of considerable diameter, so as to give a rapid rotation to the roller. The upper knife-roller is driven by a cross belt directly from a pulley on the shaft of the lower roller, while the apron Z, drum m, and rollers 91. are driven by a belt from a pulley on the lower roller 1) and gearing; but these connections may be made in any convenient manner.

, The plant is fed to the two rollers b b from a suitable table or otherwise, and passes upon the apron c, which carries it forward to the second set of rollers, (Z (Z. These two pairs of rollers b d serve to crush or flatten the mate rial, and the two upper rollers should be adjustably fitted, so that they can be raised'or f lowered toaccommodate different thicknesses of plants. From the rollers (1 cl the material passes upon the table e beneath the presser h and knife-roller. The presser prevents the ma terial from being dragged forward by the kniferoller without the fiber being removed, and,

table e the material, thus cleaned upon one side, then passes to the apron Z, and is carried by the drum m and rollers 11, to the upper ta: ble, 0, upon which it is'laid in a reversed position, or with the cleaned side downward, so that the uncleaned portions are presented to the second knife-roller, f, which acts in a similar'manner to finish the cleaning operation,

spring-pressed roll f,having spiral blunt-edged blades f and the table 6, whereby the plants may be held sufficient-ly and scraped, as described.

2. The combination of the endless traveling apron Z, the drum m, and the rollers n, Whereby the plant may be carried from one table to the other and reversed in position, as described. 20

PHILIP OOHN.

so that the fiber is delivered in a completely i I \Vitnesses:

E. F. HALL, GEO. V. WVOODMAN. 

